musth

elephant behavior

Also known as: must

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

Musth is a periodic state in bull elephants characterized by aggressive behavior, often linked to their rutting season. The term "musth" originates from Hindi and Urdu words meaning "intoxicated". During this phase, male elephants experience elevated testosterone levels, leading to erratic and uncontrollable behavior. This period is crucial for establishing reproductive hierarchy among males, with those in musth typically outranking non-musth males and doing most of the breeding. Elephants can detect hormonal changes in one another, including those associated with musth, through their keen sense of smell and specialized organs.12

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elephant
Reproduction and life cycle
Males, however, enter a “musth period,” during which they secrete a fluid differing in viscosity from the fluid secreted when they are not in musth. Serum testosterone during musth is higher than in a nonmusth elephant, and the animal’s behaviour is erratic; they are uncontrollable (musth is Hindi for…
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Males, however, enter a “musth period,” during which they secrete a fluid differing in viscosity from the fluid secreted when they are not in musth. Serum testosterone during musth is higher than in a nonmusth elephant, and the animal’s behaviour is erratic; they are uncontrollable (musth is Hindi for…
Read More